A journal of my homeschooling adventures with my 2 children ages 10 and 6.

03/20/2010

I just wanted to let you know that I will no longer be continuing to write on this blog. It was a fun year of blogging and I really enjoyed reading all of your comments. I just don't feel inspired to write anymore. So, I wish you all the best and hope you have a very happy spring! Finally, it's arrived!!!

02/09/2010

Hi everyone! I just wanted to check in quickly to let you know that I'm still here and everything's fine-I've just been feeling very quiet. I think I'm coming out of it though and will hopefully post again soon. Although I haven't been on the computer as much as usual, I have been checking in on my favorite blogs (I just haven't been posting much). So, don't think I've forgotten about you! Hope everyone's well.

The Most Depressing Day of the Year

How failed New Year's resolutions, debt and weather conditions lead to a peak in depression.

Poets, publicists and psychiatrists all have their candidates for the bleakest time of the year. According to one equation devised by Dr. Cliff Arnall, a British researcher from Cardiff University, Jan. 18 is 2010’s most depressing day. His formula for this bleak prediction takes into account factors like post-holiday blahs and debt, failed New Year’s resolutions and, this year, the nasty chill that has reached much further south than usual. This particular peak in seasonal affective disorder (SAD) isn't the only time that we're prone to feeling low.

I was wondering why I was feeling down today. The house is organized and picked up. The kids have been playing with friends all day (at someone else's house). It's a shortened work week with today's holiday. The weather here is balmy. But still...blah. Now I know-it's the most depressing day of the year! So, if I can get through today, I can get through any day. I'm feeling better already!

01/12/2010

My computer's doing all sorts of funky stuff so we brought it in to be looked at on Saturday and I still don't have it back. Sigh. I do so miss my computer! Anyway, I wanted to share this video while I have the chance to jump on a computer for a few minutes. I gave the kids a design-your-own marble run for Christmas (very reduced price from Mindware) and B took it out today for the first time. I was amazed at his concentration while putting this together. He designed this marble run himself with just a little help from his Mama.

01/10/2010

J's birthday celebration started out last night at bedtime when she asked me to read her a story from The Birthday Book. I chose The Golden Tower-a story about a Prince who goes out into the world to help those in need. "Father, the time has come when I must leave our golden home and make my way in the world, for I have seen a kingdom which is in great need." The Prince shows great courage in fighting the dragon which is terrorizing the people. In the end he wins the battle and there is a great celebration. It seemed an appropriate story for a girl entering the second decade of life.

In the morning she was greeted by this beautiful sunrise

along with paper hearts all over her bed, down the stairs and into the living room where her gifts were waiting for her. Here's a picture of J and B when J was 4 and B was about 6 months old. See his little tongue sticking out-well, some things never change!

She was also greeted by 10 floating candles, a vase full of tulips and a bunch of balloons in rainbow colors.

This was the first gift she opened.

Then a little needle felting kit. I think she's just old enough now to use a felting needle (although she did just stab herself with a pencil last night!)

And, she got the blow-up sled she wanted. Who would have known it would be so hard to find a place that sells sleds in January in VT!

She also received some chocolate truffles which she shared with a very excited B.

I then headed off to church while the kids played with their balloons and beads and wrestled. Now they're off with their dad bowling. I'll share the second half of our day and more pictures tomorrow!

01/04/2010

O.k, this is the time for resolutions, right? Well, I've been seeing a lot of one word resolutions pop up around the blogosphere. Now, I'm not a resolution type of gal, but for some reason the one word resolution seems to resonate with me. I've seen beauty, simplicity and connection as well as others. Hmmm...what would my one word be? I was thinking of this as I was organizing my house for pretty much 3 days straight. Does the answer lie somewhere hidden in the organizing? Or does it have anything to do with the new blog?

Two words seem to jump out at me while I contemplate this. The first one is gratitude. This really resonates with me and it's the reason I changed the name of my blog from By the Maple Tree to Many Blessings. I have so much to be grateful for and I don't want one day to slip by without truly feeling thankful for all that I have been given. The love, the laughter, the beauty-such gifts.

The other word is focus. This is a hard one for me. I struggle with this one in my homeschooling and my personal life. I get side-tracked. I tend to go with what inspires me but then I miss out on the feeling of accomplishment that comes with sticking with, and focusing on, one project until it is completed. I'm feeling the need to clear the clutter in my mind and my home so I can focus on my goals.

So...focus it will be. I'm resisting this even as I write. :) I will work on living out my values and not get side-tracked by life. I will, I will, I will finish projects, and books, and e-mails. I will take time to settle my mind and live in the moment. What would your one word be?

01/03/2010

A friend of mine just forwarded this to me and I thought I'd pass it along to all of you. We have maybe 18 inches of snow on the ground now and it's still falling! Some of the pictures I'm sending along don't look all that different than it looks outside my window.

01/01/2010

Yesterday Jeff took the kids to First Night Burlington. They had a great time and the weather wasn't too cold. The big highlights were Circus Smirkus and the fireworks. Here are a few shots he took from his phone.

Rent McCoy's Juggling Show Circus Smirkus

I stayed home and organized the house. I'll show you some pictures in a few days when I'm all finished. Of course, not having been in my house before, you won't appreciate just how organized it is. I should have taken some before and after pictures.

Now, this might not seem like a great way to celebrate the New Year, but I enjoyed being in the peace and quiet of my home alone with my thoughts. And there's something about transitions. . .new year, new season, beginning and end of school year. . .that makes me want to organize.